The remarkable security measures in place for US Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to Sydney: ‘He’ll have the road to himself’

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (L) waves with his wife Karen before they board Air Force Two January 26, 2017 at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. Picture: Alex Wong/Getty Images.Source:Getty Images

UNITED States President Donald Trump’s right hand man Mike Pence has touched down in Sydney on Air Force Two as remarkably heavy security that will shut down parts of the city comes into effect to protect him.

The US Vice President and his delegation landed in Sydney at around 9:15pm on Friday night where they were greeted by Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce for the Australian leg of his Asia-Pacific tour where he is expected to focus on regional security concerns and trade.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, Australian ambassador to the US Joe Hockey, acting US ambassador to Australia James Carouso and consul-general Valerie Fowler were also there to meet the vice president.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch said the major security operation for Mr Pence’s visit will be “inconvenient” for community members as road closures are rolled out throughout the city over the weekend.

Vice President of the United States Mike Pence and his family, wife Karen Pence, daughters Audrey and Charlotte Pence arriving in Sydney. Picture: Image/Wendell TeodoroSource:AAP

US Vice President Mike Pence is expected to address the media on Saturday afternoon. Picture: AP Photo/Rick Rycroft.Source:AP

Mike Pence’s hotel in downtown Sydney is likely to attract protesters and the area is already under lockdown. Picture: AFP PHOTO / Saeed KHAN.Source:AFP

Mr Pence travelled in a “substantial” motorcade from Sydney International Airport to the city then continue on to Kirribilli and Mosman for meetings with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove over the weekend. He is expected to address media in the CBD on Saturday afternoon.

Mr Pence will stay at the Intercontinental Hotel on Macquarie St. The area is already in lockdown.

Sydney roads will shut down swiftly along the motorcade’s route as the US team moves from one engagement to the next but will reportedly reopen just as fast.

“(The motorcade vehicles) are substantial and anyone on the road at the time the motorcade goes past will get a good sense of how large they are,” Mr Murdoch said.

“All the vehicles in the motorcade have a role.”

Mr Pence will “have the road to himself” as the motorcade travels via a “secure road corridor”.

“He’ll have the road to himself and those road closures will be put in place just before the motorcade hits a particular area.

Air Force Two last visited Sydney in July 2016, carrying then US Vice President Joe Biden. It arrived in Sydney on Friday night with current US Vice President Mike Pence. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts.Source:AAP

US Vice President Mike Pence waves before leaving for Japan, at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, Tuesday, April 18, 2017. Picture: AP Photo/Lee Jin-manSource:AP

US Vice President Mike Pence arrived in Japan on Monday as part of a 10-day trip to Asia that comes amid turmoil on the Korean Peninsula over North Korea's threats to advance its nuclear and defence capabilities, and just after a failed missile launch by the North. Picture: AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama.Source:AP

Some clearways are already in place in the CBD, Kirribilli and Mosman and will remain in place until Monday morning.

“There will be a range of traffic changes and a number of Special Event Clearways that will be put in place to facilitate the movements of the Vice President, and to ensure minimum disruption to road users,” Mr Murdoch said.

He said a “large number” of police resources will be deployed during Mr Pence’s trip.

Among them will be tactical groups, traffic and mounted police, general duties police and highway patrol.

“That is to do with the visit of the Vice President,” Mr Murdoch said.

“People shouldn’t read anything more into it than that.

“We do apologise in advance for what we see will be some disruption for people’s activities.

“We just ask you to be patient.”

US Vice President Mike Pence on April 20 praised Indonesia's moderate form of Islam as "an inspiration" at the start of a visit to the Muslim-majority country seen as a bid by his administration to heal divisions with the Islamic world. Picture: AFP/Achmad IbrahimSource:AFP

Mr Murdoch said NSW Police had been working closely with the US Secret Service and the state’s officers who they also co-operated with during similar operations involving then vice-president Joe Biden last year.

“They are a big deal,” he said.

“The US Secret Service take all overseas visits by their heads of state very, very seriously.”

The Secret Service’s codename for Mr Pence, the head of the Hoosier State, is “Hoosier.”

NSW Police has adopted its own, albeit less creative, codename for the US Vice President: “Vice President of the United States”.

Mr Pence is expected to take a harbour cruise during his visit. The vice-president is accompanied by his wife, Karen, and two daughters, Charlotte and Audrey, on his 10-day tour of key Asia-Pacific allies. The delegation has already stopped in South Korea, Japan and Indonesia in a trip aimed at reinforcing traditional US alliances.

Mr Pence is expected to turn on the charm for Malcolm Turnbull after a notorious phone call in January when US President Donald Trump blasted the prime minister over an asylum-seeker deal.

The US Vice President will leave Australia for Hawaii on Monday.

Motorists are urged to plan ahead and allow extra travel time over the weekend. For all up to date traffic and public transport information refer to www.LiveTraffic.com.